LSU head coach Les Miles called a press conference Friday afternoon that sent shock waves through the college football landscape, announcing that Mathieu is no longer on the team after repeated violations of team rules.

Mathieu asserted himself as one of the game's most exciting players last season as a sophomore, becoming a finalist for the Heisman Trophy while leading his Tigers team to a 13-1 record that didn't feature a single blemish until the BCS National Championship Game

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He was expected to have a similarly relentless impact on the top-ranked LSU team this season before the news Friday.

The McNeese State Cowboys are no stranger to troubled, highly-touted players. Former Tennessee standout Janzen Jackson, who made the leap to the NFL as an undrafted free agent, transferred to the Louisiana school just prior to the 2011 season after being dismissed from Derek Dooley's squad for unspecified reasons.

Of course, McNeese State will still have to admit Mathieu and offer him a spot on the team.

The move makes sense for Mathieu, who will be able to stay at home, continue playing football and use his elite status to get drafted in 2013. As long as he gets his act together and avoids any behavioral problems at McNeese, chances are high that a NFL team will roll the dice on one of college football's most explosive players.

His stock may have taken a huge hit after LSU's announcement, but the Honey Badger's playing days seem to be far from over.